Many people can’t resist tempting sugary treats like bubble tea, cakes and candies. But a high-sugar diet can actually be a sweet poison to your body, leading to glycation that speeds up ageing and ruin your health! In this blog, we’ll take a look at the 6 dangers of consuming too much sugar on our body.

Irreversibly formed advanced glycation end products (AGEs)

Our cells, tissues and organs are composed of proteins. When there is too much sugar in our body, it will combine with protein molecules in a process known as glycation. Your body can recover the glycated proteins at first, but their prolonged contact with sugar will lead to the formation of AGEs. This will slow down protein metabolism and produce more free radicals, hence accelerating the ageing process of organs.

6 ways AGEs can harm your body

1.Higher risk of diabetes

Insulin is a kind of protein hormone that helps stabilise blood sugar levels. A study with mice discovered that the glycation of insulin will impair its ability to regulate blood sugar levels, while the cell’s sensitivity to insulin will be lowered as well, leading to a greater risk of diabetes.

2.Higher risk of arteriosclerosis

Glycation not only increases oxidative stress in the blood but also causes inflammation and hardening of the blood vessel walls. This can eventually lead to plaque build-up on the vessel walls, increasing the risk of arteriosclerosis.

3.Loss of elasticity in the skin

Glycation can damage skin-supporting collagen. This causes the skin to lose elasticity and leads to sagging and wrinkles, making us look older than we really are.

4.Higher risk of bone fracture

Collagen is also found in bones and functions like glue to maintain bone mineral density. AGEs will denature proteins and reduce bone strength (especially cartilage), leading to fragile bones prone to fractures.

5.Higher risk of sarcopenia

AGEs can impair protein synthesis. If AGEs accumulate in the body, they can lead to reduced muscle mass and strength. That’s why diabetics are more prone to sarcopenia.

6.Impaired renal function

Our body has various mechanisms for metabolising AGEs, with the kidney as one of them. Yet, if there are too many AGEs in the body, it can burden and damage the kidneys, potentially leading to chronic kidney disease.

As sugar can lead to many health issues, make sure you control your sugar intake. You should also consume less barbecued or fried foods since cooking at high temperatures for a long time can also produce AGEs.